The present invention relates to a copier, printer facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus and more particularly to an image forming apparatus including an operation and display device protruding upward from its body and easy to operate.
Today, an operation and display device included in a copier, printer or similar image forming apparatus is, in many cases, implemented by the combination of a touch panel and keys. The touch panel is buried in the top of the body of the apparatus or protrudes upward therefrom. The protruding type of touch panel is predominant with, e.g., a large size image forming apparatus to be situated at a copy center. This type of touch panel allows the operator standing by the apparatus to operate it while looking straight ahead, i.e., without turning the operator's eyes downward.
In a conventional image forming apparatus with the protruding type of touch panel, an operation and display panel including the touch panel is supported by an arm above the top of the apparatus. The operation and display device includes the touch panel, e.g., a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel and a key portion including various keys and arranged below the touch panel. The display surface of the touch panel is inclined slightly upward while the key portion is inclined slightly downward. That is, the touch panel and key portion are angularly spaced from each other as if they were separate from each other.
However, the above conventional operation and display device has a problem that the operator touching the touch panel or any key of the key portion has to change the angle of the operator's hand or finger when intending to touch any key or the touch panel, respectively. That is, the transition from the operation of the touch panel to the operation of the key portion is not smooth.
Further, the operator has to turn the operator's eyes between the touch panel and the key portion over a broad angle. This is not only troublesome to perform, but also liable to bring about mishandling. Moreover, because the touch panel should necessarily be inclined slightly upward, light around the touch panel is apt to be incident to the panel and make information appearing on the panel difficult to see. Should the angle of the touch panel be changed to avoid such light, the key portion would be inclined downward too much for the operator to easily manipulate it.
Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 7-261904, 8-220941, 9-160322, and 9-214738.